A day of hiking turned into a high-flying rescue for an 80-year-old outdoor enthusiast.

Carol Blake, of Sacramento, took a 20- to 30- foot tumble during the weekend on the South Yuba River Trail in Nevada County. The fall left her with a broken leg.

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But despite the bumps and bruises, she was still smiling in the hospital Monday afternoon.

"Somehow or other I missed a step or something, and I ended up headed downhill," Blake explained. "When I composed myself, I looked down and my foot was flopping -- so yea, I broke my leg."

Kathy Park/KCRA

Luckily, she was with a hiking group called Women of the Wild. Some of the members were former nurses and reacted quickly to help their friend.

"They used a couple of the hiking poles and splinted my leg, wrapping it with ACE bandage,” Blake said. “All the women tied their jackets together, and they made a harness so they could pull me up to the trail so that I could be lying flat.”

Minutes later, emergency responders, including California Highway Patrol's air operations, moved in toward the steep and rugged terrain. The team happened to capture the rescue on camera.

"We're able to pick up 500 pounds, and the hoist cable is about 150 feet long so we can get into those tight spots," CHP flight officer Brandon Hallam said. "There's a lot of hikers that go year-round up there, and she was no different than many others we've done in the past."

Except, Blake was no ordinary hiker.

"I think this was a rare case based on her age, but it sounded like she did really well," Hallam said.

"There are a lot of people that are 80 and over that are out there hiking,” Blake said. “We're middle aged now, we're not the older ones.”

Blake has been hiking since she was 50 years old and said the injury is the worst she's ever had in her life.

CHP said anyone who decides to go out on the trails should be prepared.

"Always carry supplies with you -- cell phone obviously comes in handy with GPS if you get lost or injured," Hallam said.

Meantime, Blake said she's thankful for the people around her who kept her safe.

"Everybody has just been so efficient and good and just kind you know,” she said. “And, in some ways, a wonderful experience!"

Blake may be released from the hospital as early as Tuesday, but she still has weeks of recovery ahead.